Anthropomorphism

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human form, traits, emotions, or behavior to nonhuman beings, objects, or forces.

Agency detection: The perception or inference that an entity can act intentionally and cause events. Inferring agency in ambiguous movement or events can make nonhuman forces seem humanlike.
Anthropomorphic robot: A robot designed with a humanlike body, appearance, or behavior. Robotics makes anthropomorphism a concrete design choice with social effects.
Xenophanes: An ancient Greek philosopher known for criticizing humanlike depictions of gods. His surviving remarks directly challenge the projection of human forms onto deities.
Moral standing: The status of an entity as deserving moral consideration for its own sake. Perceived humanlike feelings can influence whether people treat animals or machines as morally considerable.
Greek mythology: The body of myths and religious stories associated with ancient Greek culture. Its gods display human bodies, emotions, conflicts, and social relations.
Theory of mind: The capacity to represent mental states such as beliefs, desires, and intentions in oneself or others. Attributing human motives to nonhumans applies mind-reading skills beyond their usual targets.
Social robotics: The study and design of robots that interact with people in social settings. Social robots often use humanlike cues to make interaction more intuitive or engaging.
Lucretius: A Roman poet and Epicurean philosopher who explained natural phenomena without divine intervention. His account of religion describes people imagining gods in human form.
Animal welfare: The condition of an animal in relation to its physical and psychological well-being. Humanlike readings can draw attention to animal suffering but can also obscure species-specific needs.
Aesop's Fables: A collection of short fables traditionally attributed to the ancient Greek storyteller Aesop. Animals speak and reason like people to dramatize moral lessons.

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